She recalled shouting for her son to duck and stay out of harm’s way as panic spread through the arena. “We ran out of the rink, and the first thing on your mind is, ‘Where is my child?’” she said. “I managed to get back inside, and when I saw CPR being done in the stands, it was incredibly disturbing.”
Players on the ice also described their fear. Olin Lawrence, a high school hockey player who was participating in the game, said he immediately fled to the locker room when he heard the shots.
“I dropped down and ran,” Lawrence explained. “We pressed against the door and just tried to stay safe. It was really scary. There were a lot of shots, and everyone was extremely nervous.”
The arena is situated about 45 miles south of Boston, drawing attention from across the region. Following the shooting, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee addressed the tragedy, referencing another recent shooting at Brown University.
“Our state is grieving once again,” McKee said. “As governor, as a parent, and as a former coach, my heart breaks for the victims, their families, and everyone affected by this devastating act at Lynch Arena.”
